SKANEATELES, N.Y. & WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Welch Allyn, a leading medical diagnostic device company that specializes in helping clinicians improve patient outcomes, and EarlySense Ltd., the market leader in Proactive Patient Care Solutions™, announced today that the companies have entered into a strategic collaboration and distribution agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Welch Allyn will distribute the EarlySense System to hospitals across the United States.

The EarlySense System offers clinicians the ability to identify early warning signs of patient safety risk and deterioration, thus empowering clinicians to achieve better outcomes and fewer adverse events. Without ever physically touching the patient, the system measures heart rate, respiration rate, patient movement while in bed, and patient bed entries and exits, using a sensor that is placed under the mattress of a bed.

Welch Allyn President & CEO Steve Meyer said, “EarlySense technology assists clinicians in early detection of patient deterioration to help medical teams save lives and reduce costs. The opportunity to partner with EarlySense enables Welch Allyn to continue providing its customers with proven solutions that answer the growing clinical, economic and regulatory needs to reduce adverse clinical events and improve patient safety. We view this relationship as an important advancement that brings better, more cost-effective care to previously unmonitored beds.”

The EarlySense technology is designed to monitor patients on medical surgical floors who typically have their vital signs taken only once every four hours. In the event of a change in a patient’s status, the system immediately and simultaneously provides alerts to the clinical staff via the bedside monitor, the central nursing station, hallway displays, and directly to their pagers or in-house telephones.

EarlySense CEO Avner Halperin said, “It is an exciting day for all EarlySense employees and shareholders. For nearly 100 years Welch Allyn has been providing innovative solutions that advance frontline patient care. As a leading patient vital signs solutions provider within the medical /surgical floors of hospitals across the United States, we believe our work with Welch Allyn will accelerate adoption of EarlySense’s technology. Welch Allyn has a tremendous reputation in the US Healthcare markets. EarlySense’s technology and expertise in systems-based products and solutions coupled with Welch Allyn’s sales, marketing, implementation and support strength, puts EarlySense’s contact-free patient monitoring solution on a clear path to becoming the standard of care, giving medical teams the tools to improve outcomes, prevent adverse events and leave no patients behind. Together, Welch Allyn and EarlySense are targeting more than one million acute care beds that clinicians widely agree can be made much safer with smart, continuous monitoring.”

About Welch Allyn

Welch Allyn is a leading global healthcare company that offers a complete range of digital and EMR-interfaced diagnostic solutions, physical diagnosis instruments, and infection control products that help reduce risk and enhance workflow in a variety of clinical settings. Founded in 1915 and headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y. (USA), Welch Allyn is a family-owned business that employs nearly 2,700 employees in 26 different countries. The company specializes in helping doctors, nurses and other frontline practitioners across the globe enhance care by developing innovative solutions that improve patient outcomes, safety and satisfaction. More information about Welch Allyn and its complete line of connected products and solutions may be found at www.welchallyn.com. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

About EarlySense

EarlySense has brought to market an innovative technology designed to advance proactive patient care and enable clinicians to achieve better patient outcomes, by assisting in preventing adverse events from occurring. The company’s flagship product, the EarlySense System, is a continuous, contact-free, patient monitoring solution that monitors and documents a patient’s vital signs and movement using a sensor that is placed underneath a bed mattress. There are no leads or cuffs to connect to the patient who has complete freedom of movement and is not burdened by any cumbersome attachments. The system is designed to monitor non-ICU ‘lower risk’ patients on medical surgical floors who are usually monitored by nursing staff approximately once every four hours. The system is currently installed at hospitals and rehabilitation centers in the USA and Europe. It is also commercially available in Canada. EarlySense Inc. is headquartered in Waltham, MA. Investors include: JK&B, Pitango Venture Capital, Etgar Challenge Fund, ProSeed VC Fund (PRSD.TA), Docor International Management, Noaber, and Bridge Investment Fund, and Peter Soderberg, managing partner of Worthy Ventures Resources, LLC and former president and CEO of Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. (HRC). For additional information, please visit www.earlysense.com. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.